My mistake, meant to say people arrested for the first time for a sex crime are not on the registry. so if individuals are seeking safety by reading or looking at the registry, the registry will not contribute to safety or protect you in any way.

Jesse
Your points here are well taken, although ,what do you mean that single offenders are not on the registry?point #4.
The article was well researched for its purpose which was a study of the psychological effects of the registry. It has nothing to do with legal or law , so will be of minimal benefit in a court. Unless your trying to appeal to the compassionate side of someone.
The writers of the article worked very hard on it and deserves credit for making there point. Thank You ladies!

The above story re Sx Offender Registries plus its companion piece did not take into account the current research and many peer reviewed articles on the efficacy of the Registries.
1- The registers are so big, that they can no longer be used to “track” persons who are required to Register. Some years ago, the city of Minneapolis “lost” over 500 registrants.
2- The recidivism of individuals required to register is around 3%-5% , ie most individuals do not re-offend. The registries were originally justified on the now rejected and debunked belief that recidivism was greater than 50-60% and was a permanent condition.
3- The Registries do not differentiate between pedophiles, predators and individuals whose only crime was non-violent, nor did it involve contact with a child. Example an 18 yo having sex with a 16 yo girl friend, a streaker is considered the same as a violent rapist.
4- Most individuals arrested for [first time] Sx Crimes are not on the registers, so they do not “protect” the public.
5- Most cases of child molestation occur, not in public, but in the home of the victim
6- The offenders in #5 are already known to the family. Stranger Danger is greatly exaggerated.
7- Subject individuals required to register to potential vigilante justice – individuals have died simply because they were on the register
8- Affect the family of the person required to register.
9- Research has shown they are counter-productive, placing obstacles for re-integration in society
10- The state of MI has declared that the MI Register is ex post facto punishment, thus unconstitutional. The state of MI does not currently have a SO Registry that passes muster from a legal standpoint. Indeed the MI AG is against the state Registry. TN has followed suit.
11- Many state registries do not allow for any means to be removed from the registry, so what may be a misdemeanor offense may easily end up a lifetime on the registry.

I could go on, but I believe I made my point. I can document and cite sources for my claims and would gladly do so. I would encourage NPR to seek alternate viewpoints on the efficacy of the registers. This article does not meet the high standards for objective reporting i have come to expect from NPR.

Please contact the various organization in the US that are opposed to the registries simply because the they don’t work. Among them the National Assoc for Rational Sex Offender Laws [narsol.org], Florida Action Committee [https://floridaactioncommittee.org/contact-us/], Texas Voices for Reason and Justice [info@texasvoices.org]

Regards
J A Herrera

Capt. Munsey, I wholeheartedly agree!

Thank you all for your scholarly research!

It’s like living life walking on eggshells all the time!!

WE DID OUR TIME! NOW LEAVE US, THE HELL, ALONE!!!

It just kinda bums me out papers like this don’t carry more weight.